Page 53 of Tiger's Quest
“I’m really hoping it doesn’t take that long. But, yes. That’s what I’m saying.”
“And you aren’t going to budge on this, are you?”
“No.”
“Fantastic! So Iamgoing to be an old maid living with two very large cats!”
“You’renotgoing to be an old maid.”
“By the time you decide to be with me, I will be.”
“Kelsey, are you saying you’re ready for all that now?”
“Probably not, but what about a year from now? Or two years? Eventually, I’ll go crazy.”
“It won’t be easy for me either, Kells. Mr. Kadam agrees that it’s just too dangerous. His descendants live exceptionally long lives, and he feels that the amulet is responsible for that. It was an awkward conversation, but he told us both that it would be best if we didn’t take any . . . unnecessary chances. We don’t know how the amulet or curse works, and, until we’re men again, complete and whole, I can’t risk anything happening to you.”
I remarked dryly, “It’s not like Mr. Kadam killed his wife, Ren.”
“No. But he wasn’t a tiger, either.”
“Afraid we’d have kittens?” I teased.
“Don’t even joke about that,” Ren said stone-faced.
“Well then, what are you afraid of? Do you want to take a class?” I couldn’t help it. Mom’s sarcastic humor made an appearance.
“No!” he said with great consternation. I laughed. “Kelsey! You aren’t taking this seriously.”
“Sure I am. I just happen to be talking about something that makes me nervous, and I usually respond to nerves with humor and sarcasm. Seriously, Ren, you’re talking aboutyearswhen I am almost to the point of attacking your rather attractive selfnow.” I sighed. “Do you really think it would be dangerous?”
“The truth is I don’t know. I don’t know how the curse will affect us. And, I won’t put you at risk. So can we delay having this conversation . . . at least for a while?”
I grumbled, “Yes. But you should know that I have a . . . difficult time thinking straight around you.”
“Hmm,” he pressed his lips against my neck.
“That doesn’t help by the way.” I sighed. “I guess a lot of very cold showers loom in my future.”
Ren mumbled against my throat, “You and me both. Did you have difficulty thinking straight around your other boyfriends?”
“What boyfriends?”
“Jason or Li?”
“I don’t really think of Jason as more than a friend. Li was a good friend with potential. Mmm . . . that feels nice. They were people who were interesting and who I wanted to know better. But, not boyfriends. I didn’t love them like I love you, and they didn’t make me feel this way.” I groaned softly. “Not like this.”
He trailed kisses along the line of my jaw. “What about before them?”
“No. There was no one. You are my first . . . everything.”
He lifted his head and smiled his devastating smile. “I am exceptionally delighted and deliriously happy to hear you say that.” He gathered my hair over my shoulder and pressed kisses along the arch of my neck. “Just for the record, Kells, you’re my first everything too.”
I shivered. Sighing, he kissed me sweetly and snuggled me against his chest.
I played with the buttons on his shirt and spoke quietly, “You know, my mother talked with me about this right before she died. She and Dad really hoped that I would wait until marriage like they did.”
“For me, it was assumed. In my time, in my country, casual relationships didn’t exist.”
